Basic Training In American Army

[allhailIndia]

Just read the article fully and realized something awful.

All future combatants against the US and maybe ither Western countries will do, is just hole up in bunkers, wait for the sci-fi round to be done with and then let the battle begin, once the "victory" is proclaimed. They go after the non combatant type troops and clear out when the big boys come.
Result: More deaths, more body bags and a tired out fighting force, running all around without causing serious damage to an enemy which doesn't even seem to be there.

That is what is happening in Afghanistan and Iraq.

More boots may not be the answer, if they only add to the problem.

 

[MarineCorps]

The army is only one branch of the service. The air force I heard from someone who almost went in is run like a business. The Navy I have little knowledge of them. But the Marine are far better then the army. DO NOT COMPARE THE TWO! Marine are trained first off as combat troop, no matter whta you plan to do later on you are trained in combat, then you get training for what you are assighned to do. All Marines must be able to hit a target at least 300 meters away. Not to mention army uniforms are ugly

 

[Speedo]

All Marines must be able to hit a target at least 300 meters away.

Have the Marines gone down then? I thought it used to be 500 meters.

And the Marines do have the "rifleman first" motto, and I'm sure that the average marine is at least slightly better trained for combat than the average soldier, but it's still not something they practice regularly or anything.

 

[CurtSibling]

I was under the impression that the USMC where the 'crack troop' branch of the US forces...

(not counting the real specialists like SEALS and DELTA)

Anyhow, the SAS are the finest - full stop.

 

[MarineCorps]

Originally posted by Speedo


Have the Marines gone down then? I thought it used to be 500 meters.

And the Marines do have the "rifleman first" motto, and I'm sure that the average marine is at least slightly better trained for combat than the average soldier, but it's still not something they practice regularly or anything.

Yeah it is 500. I get 300 and 500 mixed up sometimes for some reason

@Curt: Yes they are the crack troops of the Us military. As for the Delta, Navy SEALs, and army Rangers. Those are small insertion teams, DELTA is the American Anti Terrorism force (highly top secret stuff, most of what they do is not even heard). And from what I have heard it is the Royal Marines that are the worlds best force.

 

[Sh3kel]

I'm fairly certain it's hard to find a hotter warzone than the one I'm in. What I can tell you is this:
What you learn at boot camp is what will save your life. I'm a non-combat, desk-job Israeli Air Force soldier, and my basic revolved around dodging the idiots on my platoon and firing the rifle. I'm not combat qualified, but I'm not required to be. My definition as an 02 rifleman is to be able to survive long enough for reinforcements to arrive, and if that is impossible, to cause the enemy to waste ammunition by shooting at my general direction, cause I'll be hiding behind a large cement block.

Unlike most heroic warmovies, most combat troops everywhere are poorly trained and hardly ready for the real thing. You learn everything you need to know at the line. If you pick it up fast enough, you'll live to see it in action. If you're too slow, you won't be sent to a combat duty to risk the lives of everyone in your squad.

 

[ASA Dragon]

Originally posted by Speedo


Nah, one of my great-uncles that died a few months ago was in 1st Cav in Korea, and I thought it made a decent enough avatar.

Most of my familiarity is because after I finish my associate (2 yr.) degree next fall, I'm applying for WOCS. That and being a life-long military nut

My condolences, and it's a nice tribute .... WOCS? Planning to fly gunships?

 

[ASA Dragon]

Originally posted by MarineCorps
... Not to mention army uniforms are ugly

Functionality is preferred to form ..... The only problem I have these days with the USArmy uniform is replacing the BDU cap with the beret. I always thought that if anyone should wear it, it should be the various Special forces. Besides, the old caps were waterproof (better during field time), easier to wear, matched the rest of the uniform, and looked better/ more natural.

 

[ASA Dragon]

I didn't have time earlier to read the article fully, but now that I have, I've gone from disturbed to disgusted. It's a diservice to all that served before the way things are run now.

I never believed that Basic should be a co-ed environment, and the article proves it. I mean, we had females in the same battalion in basic, but they were definitely off limits. The drill instructor even thought that you were looking in their general direction ..... push-ups were the easy punishment. They couldn't physically touch you, but their forms of discipline were creative.

Different positions such as the "Dying cockaroach", "koala", "watching TV", etc.

People that maturity level/age should not be in that sort of mixed-gender environment together. I thought it was bad at DLI, but the article definitely was worse.

 

[Shadylookin]

good, mabey now the government will come to reality and built more missiles the age of manpower as a strength has ended and the age of the man that can launch the most missiles has begun. I hold on to the dream that men on the ground will only be needed to keep the peace after we have already won.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Originally posted by MarineCorps
The army is only one branch of the service. The air force I heard from someone who almost went in is run like a business. The Navy I have little knowledge of them. But the Marine are far better then the army. DO NOT COMPARE THE TWO!

Nobody was comparing the two, except in saying that the Marines are far superior.

 

[HighlandWarrior]

Marines arent tested on pushups, Marines are tested on pull ups.

The standards to get into Marine Corps bootcamp

3 pullups
44 crunches in 2min
1.5miles in 13:30

If you can't meet those you go to PCP. I bet that's alot of fun.

Marines go to boot camp for 12weeks, the army & navy are 9 and i think the air force is 6.

After bootcamp Marines who are not going into infantry have to report to Marine combat training for 22 days. No idea if this happens in the army.

A guy in my class is a staff sergant in the army and teaches the new recruits in their mos. He said the marines he trains are a little less lazy than the army guys. He also said that the army will push the dumb & lazy ones through so the numbers look good.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Pushing them through no matter what is the problem with the army in my opinion.

 

[Speedo]

My condolences, and it's a nice tribute .... WOCS? Planning to fly gunships?

Thanks, he was a great guy. Didn't have the opportunity to know him very well myself, unfortunately.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind Apaches Helos in general are fun enough for me though.

One question.. I just read the original article.

Later that afternoon, I get another clandestine visit from a truth-telling private who discloses the real secret for Jackson's sterling success rate. Out on the range, there are targets at 50 meters, 150 meters, 200 meters and 300 meters. To pass basic rifle management, you have to hit 23 targets with 40 shots. The trick is to hold your fire when the targets farthest down range come up and only shoot at the closest ones. When I ask one of the drill sergeants about it, he nods. "Out there, the 300-meter target comes up, you can hear the crickets singing in the woods it's so quiet. The 50-meter target comes up and its WHAAAAAAAAMMMMMM. Sounds like a ****in' ambush.'"

I thought you only got 40 shots and 40 targets? Have they honestly changed it so they'll keep popping up targets all day for you?

I have a hard time taking the article at face value though. Surely things aren't that bad. At least I pray so...

good, mabey now the government will come to reality and built more missiles the age of manpower as a strength has ended and the age of the man that can launch the most missiles has begun. I hold on to the dream that men on the ground will only be needed to keep the peace after we have already won.

I would suggest that you read "Death Ground: Today's American Inantry in Battle" by Daniel P. Bolger. He hits on the "send bullets not boys" philosophy quite a bit.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Considering they are training the future launderers and cooks, I wouldn't be surprised. After all the big boys go to Benning, or something like that.

 

[Speedo]

Originally posted by Sobieski II
Considering they are training the future launderers and cooks, I wouldn't be surprised. After all the big boys go to Benning, or something like that.

But surely the entire US Army hasn't forgotten that as soon as a convoy takes a wrong turn or the enemy does something you don't expect, those launderers and cooks are going to be on the firing line...

 

[Norlamand]

Originally posted by MarineCorps
The army is only one branch of the service. The air force I heard from someone who almost went in is run like a business. The Navy I have little knowledge of them. But the Marine are far better then the army. DO NOT COMPARE THE TWO! Marine are trained first off as combat troop, no matter whta you plan to do later on you are trained in combat, then you get training for what you are assighned to do. All Marines must be able to hit a target at least 300 meters away. Not to mention army uniforms are ugly

The Marines probably are better shots but their arrogance always lets them down. Last month when they took over the Fallujah area from the Army they declined the Army's offer to give them a train up period to impart their experience in the area. The Marines were going to do it the "Marine way" without the Army's help. The result has been that they had their asses handed to them at the cost of much loss of blood and life. Now they hang out in their fortified compounds and entertain themselves with building projects. Semper Fi!

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

Originally posted by Speedo


But surely the entire US Army hasn't forgotten that as soon as a convoy takes a wrong turn or the enemy does something you don't expect, those launderers and cooks are going to be on the firing line...

You'd hope so, but I have my doubts. It seems to me that they were just trying to fill the spots throughout the 90's, and all the political correctness trying to get women a larger percentage in the military... I could see it. All I have to say is that they are sure lucky the Iraqis are absolutely terrible at war.

 

[ASA Dragon]

Originally posted by Speedo





I thought you only got 40 shots and 40 targets? Have they honestly changed it so they'll keep popping up targets all day for you?

I believe you still do only get 40 and 40. However, in order to pass, you only need to hit 23. So, these guys apparently ignore the longer range targets altogether, and use the additional ammo on the closer ones - thereby insuring the passing score.

I don't think I could do that ... I mean, yeah, you pass - but I would like to be sure that I could hit targets at greater distances. For one, so that they stay targets and not threats, and for two, because not trying is worse than failing.

 

[MarineCorps]

Originally posted by HighlandWarrior

The standards to get into Marine Corps bootcamp

3 pullups
44 crunches in 2min
1.5miles in 13:30

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm,NO!

Heres the truth
12 chinups minimum
80 situps in two minutes
3 miles in 26 minutes.
and oh yes As for Marksmenship

200 300 and 500 yards and you must qualify at all three

Originally posted by HighlandWarrior

A guy in my class is a staff sergant in the army and teaches the new recruits in their mos. He said the marines he trains are a little less lazy than the army guys. He also said that the army will push the dumb & lazy ones through so the numbers look good.

And also: Marines have to do PT every six months. And if you only do the minimums you will fail. And why the hell would an Army sargent be training the Marines???!!!!!!!